"So this is the fellow who twice befriended you, is it?" said Bob, who was surprised to hear George call one of the prisoners by name. "Don't you think it would be a good plan to chuck him into the fire too?"
"I do," said Loring fiercely.
Springer drew a little nearer to George for protection.
"I didn't have any hand in it," said he earnestly—"honor bright, I didn't. I can explain everything, so that you can see that I am not to blame for being here."
"Carey," exclaimed Bob, "go back to Mr. Wentworth and give him his choice between taking care of himself and going to the fort with us. Hurry up, now.—If I only had a spade or two, I would make these prisoners bury their dead comrades."
"Springer," said George, "can these friends of yours understand English?"
The cattle-thief replied that they could not; they were all Mexicans.
"I am glad to hear it, for I want to ask you a few questions before you explain how you came to be here. Did Fletcher have his whole band with him to-night?"
"Not half of 'em," was the reply; "he had only about thirty men."
"How many has he in all?"